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Copyright of Italian Journal of Nursing (IJN) / Giornale Italiano di Infermieristica is the property of Collegio IPASVI MI-LO-MB - Ordine Professioni Infermieristiche MI-LO-MB and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In recent years there has been a substantial increase in research on heart rate variability (HRV), as an index of autonomic nervous system regulation. HRV-Biofeedback has been applied in a number of medical, psychiatric or health related conditions characterised by reduced HRV. This review provides a general overview of HRV psychophysiology, methods of measurement and the principal applications of HRV-Biofeedback. Data support the clinical efficacy of the treatment in several clinical conditions; however issues for mechanisms of effect should be seriously considered in order to advance our understanding of mechanisms underlying HRV-Biofeedback. Further research should be supported and encouraged in order to strengthen the evidence for the efficacy of such a promising psychophysiological treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical and biological prognostic factors in 135 patients affected by sinonasal carcinoma treated in Piedmont. Long-term survival of patients with sinonasal carcinoma remains disappointing in spite of aggressive treatment. The aim of the study is the assessment of overall survival in a group of patients treated with a fixed protocol and the positivity of proliferation and neoangiogenesis markers (Ki-67 and VEGF). From our data it comes out that staging, histological type and treatment are the most important clinical and pathological prognostic factors, moreover surgery ± radiotherapy is the first line treatment for these tumors. Proliferation index and neoangiogenesis plays a pivotal role in the natural history of such neoplasms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]